Canton Sarajevo’s Health Minister called on medical practitioners from the canton not to continue the protest and not to return patients. She said the talks between the healthcare trade unions and the ministry should continue in order to find a solution to their demand for a pay-rise.

It’s been 10 days since the medical and dental practitioners had initiated the strike last week saying the local government failed to obey provisions from the collective agreement they reached last year.

According to the collective agreement, the KS Government should meet with the union every three months in order to evaluate the increase of the wage coefficient depending on the income of funds in the budget of the KS Healthcare Institute.

The Municipal Court on Thursday ruled on a complaint that the Sarajevo Canton (KS) Government, the KS Health Ministry, KS Health Centre and the ‘Dr. Abdulah Nakas’ General Hospital had submitted against the union.

Since the strike was not announced earlier, it was not in accordance with the law, the Court said.

“I support all legitimate demands of all the healthcare employees, especially the union’s demands who have announced their strike for the next week,” Minister Zilha Ademaj said. “I wouldn’t want this to go on and therefore I plead to the union of medical and dental practitioners to come to a meeting and continue the negotiations.”

She added that there is a realistic possibility that their demands could be fulfilled, but also stressed that there is a legal obligation to fulfil provisions of the collective agreement.